1. Technical Field
The present invention relates in general to an improved retention mechanism, and in particular to an improved mechanism for releasably joining components. Still more particularly, the present invention relates to a highly compliant and highly repeatable retention mechanism for attaching and quickly releasing components.
2. Description of the Related Art
Retention devices or mechanism for releasably joining two or more components are common and quite varied in the prior art. For example, one type of swivel snap hook device typically comprises a hook member attached to a first object, and an eye member attached to a second object. The hook member is then rotatably connected to the eye member with a separate retaining member. This common design requires three or more parts that are required to interlock, thereby increasing the number of steps and the time required to assemble and disassemble the components. U.S. Pat. No. 4,599,767 simplifies this common design to only two components, but the hook and eye members are permanently joined to each other, and one of the members uses a clip for third component attachment.
An improved swivel snap hook device is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,548,875. This device is designed to release upon the application of a selected force by breaking a shear pin to unlatch a safety snap. Although a reservoir in the safety snap contains replacement shear pins, reconstructing the device with each deployment is cumbersome. Finally, a safety release mechanism disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,742,605, also describes a device that can be readily separated into two pieces. Unfortunately, this design requires numerous complicated interworking parts to achieve the same result. Thus, an improved retention mechanism for attaching, quickly releasing, and, optionally, reattaching components is desirable. Such a device that could perform such functions in an environment requiring high repeatability would be particularly desirable.
A two-piece retention mechanism has a base and a snap ring that are individually mounted to two separate components that a user desires to releasably join. The snap ring has a round body with a hole for attaching the first component thereto. A cone-like element with a rounded knob protrudes from the snap ring body. The base has a cylindrical body for mounting to the second component. The body of the base has a cap with a rounded face and a conical opening that tapers down to a cylindrical hole. Both the rounded knob of the snap ring and the inner body of the base are slit for greater compliance therebetween.
After the base and snap ring are mounted to their respective components, the snap ring may be removably connected to the base by inserting its rounded knob into the opening in the base. The complementary shapes of the snap ring and base allow for significant axial and angular misalignment. The snap ring and base elastically deform about their respective slits and emit an audible xe2x80x9csnapxe2x80x9d during this sequence. To disengage the snap ring from the base, the user simply pulls the snap ring away from base to overcome the retention forces. Again the slits in the elements allow them to elastically deform during the process.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved retention mechanism.
It is an additional object of the present invention to provide an improved mechanism for releasably joining components.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a highly compliant retention mechanism for attaching and quickly releasing components in an environment that requires high repeatability.